Exploding splitting tool



Oct. 4, 1938. R. B. HUTCHISON EXPLODING SPLITTING TOOL Filed Oct. 21,1936 INVENTOR. M 06. W

WITNESSES d 4, WWI/A.

4 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES EXPLODING SPLITTING TOOL Robert B.Hutchison, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Ella J. Hutchisonand Mary W. Hutchison,executors of said Robert B. Hutchison, deceased Application October 21,1936, Serial No. 106,781

3 Claims.

This invention relates to splitting tools, and more particularly tothose adapted to split an object by means of the force of an explosionoccurring within the tool.

This invention is directed to improvements upon my splitting tool, orexploding wedge, disclosed in my Patent No. 1,882,617. That patentdiscloses a tool, comprising a powder-receiving barrel closed at one endand provided with a fuse-receiving port, and a wedge having a tubularneck secured in the open end of the barrel and provided with atransverse opening communicating with the outer end of the neck. Thewedge is driven into an object to be split, such as a log or block ofstone, and the powder within the barrel is then exploded by means of thefuse. The force of the explosion is transmitted through the tubular neckof the wedge to its transverse opening and thereby splits the object.

Although this tool has been favorably received by the trade and iswidely used, I have improved it in such a manner as to increase its lifeand efficiency. There is a tendency for the wedge shown in my patent tobe blown out of the object being split by the force of the ex-' plosion,whereby some of the force of the explosion is lost. Also, after anextended period of use the barrel sometimes separates from the wedgemember, the outer end of the neck wears away, and the fuse-receivingport becomes corroded and enlarged to anundesirable extent.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a splitting toolwhich is exceedingly strong and durable, highly eflicient, veryresistant to being dislodged from the object being split at the time ofexplosion, and in which corrosion of the fuse-receiving port isvretarded materially.

According to this invention, the sides of the wedge of an explodingsplitting tool are provided with projections which hold the wedge in theobject being split at the time of explosion. To eliminate the danger ofthe barrel being blown away from the wedge, especially due to the wedgebeing substantially unable to leave the object being split at the timeof the explosion, and to strengthen the Wedge neck which extends intothe barrel, the projecting portion of the neck is provided with alateral projection, preferably annular, which is enclosed or gripped bythe weld that connects the neck to the adjoining end of the barrel. Thisprojection is of such shape as to form a notch between itself and theend of the barrel so that the weld can extend inwardly to the neck. Thejoint thus formed is such stronger. than one in which the weld engages asmooth surface neck, and the neck is likewise reinforced. As the life ofthe tool is thus increased, it is desirable to prolong the useful 5 lifeof .the fuse-receiving port. This is done by inserting in the port adetachable plug provided with an axial bore for receiving the fuse.

In case the port is eventually enlarged by corrosion, the plug can bereplaced by one of slight- 0 ly larger size by retapping the wall of theport. The inner end of the plugs bore is preferably restricted so thatthe tool can be used a long time before the plug becomes worn enough torequire replacement. Likewise, the life of the neck is in- 115 creased,without thickening the body of the wedge, by forming a. hump on bothsides of the wedge at its inner end adjoining the bore through the neckso that the wall of the bore is maintained of uniform thicknessthroughout its 20 length.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of my splittingtool; and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof taken 25 on the lineIIII of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, an elongate barrel member I of high gradesteel is closed at one end to provide a powder-receiving chamber 2.Inserted in the open end of this chamber and 30 shrunk-fit therein is atubular neck 3 of a metal member, preferably a wedge 4, adapted to bedriven into an object to be split, such as a log or a block of stone.The neck of the wedge is securely connected to the adjoining end of the5 barrel. by a weldfi. The wedge is provided with a transverse opening 1communicating at its inner end with the outer end of the axial bore 8 ofthe neck so that the force of the explosion of powder within the barrelis transmitted 40 through bore 8 and the transverse opening in the wedgeto the portions of the object engaging the sides of the Wedge, wherebythe object is split. The taper of the wedge is slight so that the wedgewill enter the object without crack- ;45 ing it, which would produce acleft through which the force of the explosion might be dissipated.

It is a feature of this invention that the likelihood of the wedge beingblown out of the object 59 being split is greatly diminished orentirelyeliminated by providing the opposite sides of the wedge withprojections which sink into the walls of the opening made in the objectby the wedge. These projections are preferably in the form of bosses l Iintegral with the wedge, and themselves wedge-shape or tapered towardthe end of the wedge so that they will not interfere with entrance ofthe wedge into the object to be split. They may be staggered, as shownin Fig; 1, to increase their holding power.

Due to the fact that the wedge is held securely in the object by thesebosses at the time of explosion, the explosion exertsa tremendous forceon the barrel outwardly relative to the wedge which may tend to separatethe two after the tool has been in use for some time. To preventseparation from occurring, the portion of the neck projecting from thebarrel is provided with an integral projection, preferably a ring I2substantially semi-circular in cross section, which is enclosed by weld6 that joins the neck to the end of the barrel. As shown in Fig. 2, thebase of the ring engages the end of the barrel and thereby provides anotch or recess encircling the neck so that the weld can extend inwardlyto the neck and engage the entire end of the barrel and the entiresurface of the ring. Consequently, the neck is actually keyed into theweld, whereby an extremely strong connection is provided that preventsthe wedge and barrel from pulling apart. Also, the neck is reinforced bythe ring and weld against lateral strains encountered when the tool isbeing driven into an object.

The charge of powder in the barrel is set off by means of a fuse I3inserted in a port i l in the barrel wall. After prolonged use therepeated explosions within the barrel would corrode the wall of the portand enlarge the port so much that it would not hold the fuse. To remedythis situation a plug i6 is threaded in the port.- This plug is providedwith an axial bore 11 for receiving one end of the fuse, and in case thewall of the port becomes corroded, the plug can be replaced by a largerone by retapping the port wall. However, the inner end of the plug boreis preferably materially restricted, as shown in Fig. 2, so that it willrequire a long time for the plug to corrode and wear away to an extentsuch that the Wall of the port is affected. Although the fuse does notextend entirely through the plug, the fire from the fuse passes throughthe restricted portion of bore I! and ignites the powder. I

The explosions exert a tremendous outward force on the wall of the borethrough the neck.

of the wedge, and it is therefore highly desirable that the wall of thebore be thick enough throughout its length to resist this force.However, if the wedge is made thick enough at its inner end to providesufiicient wall thickness for the outer end of the bore wall, the wedgewill be apt to crack the object into which it is driven and thereby letthe force of the explosion be lost through the crack. Therefore, thethickness and taper of the wedge is suchrthat it will not crack theobject, but the outer end portion of the wall 'of bore 8 is maintainedas thick as the remainder of that wall by forming a hump IS on each sideof the wedge adjoining the bore. These humps work into the object to besplit Without cracking it.

'An exploding splitting tool of the foregoing construction is highlyefficient because it is held in the object being split at the time ofexplosion, thereby directing substantially all of the force of theexplosion into the object. Nevertheless,

in spite of the great force to which the tool is subjected at eachexplosion, it has a long and useful life due to the keyed weldconnection between the wedge and barrel and to the replaceablefuse-receiving plug with the restricted bore.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained theprinciple and construction of my invention and have illustrated anddescribed what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. HowevenI desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appendedclaims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specificallyillustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A splitting tool comprising an explosive-receiving barrel closed atone end and provided with a fuse-receiving port, a member adapted to bedriven into an object to be split and having a tubular neck a portion ofwhich telescopes snuglywithin the open end of the barrel, the wall ofthe barrel at said open end being substantially perpendicular to theaxis of the barrel, the projecting portion of said neck being providedwith an integral annular projection forming with the end wall of thebarrel an'annular substan- 'tially V-shape notch, and a weld in saidnotch connecting said projecting portion to the adjoining and wall ofthe barrel and enclosing said annular projection, said member beingprovided with a transverse opening communicating with the outer end ofsaid tubular neck, and the sides of said member being provided withprojections.

2. A splitting tool comprising an explosivereceiving barrel closed atone end and provided with a fuse-receiving port, a member adapted to bedriven into an object to be split and having a tubular neck a portion ofwhich telescopes snugly within the open end of the barrel, the wall ofthe barrel at said open end being substantially perpendicular to theaxis of the barrel, the projecting portion of said neck being providedwith an integral annular projection with its greatest width at its baseand forming with the end wall of the barrel an annular substantiallyV-shape notch, and a weld in said notch connecting said projectingportion of the neck tov the adjoining end wall of the barrel andengaging substantially the entire surface of said annular projection,said member being provided with a transverse opening communicating withthe outer end of said tubular neck.

3. A splitting tool comprising an explosivereceiving barrel closed atone end and provided with a fuse-receiving port, a plug detachablysecured in said port and provided with an axial bore for receivingafuse, the inner end of'said bore being restricted, a member adapted tobe driven into an object to be split and having a tubular neck a portionof which telescopes snugly within the open end of the barrel, theprojecting portion of said neck being provided with an annularprojection forming with the end wall of the barrel an annularsubstantially V-shape notch, and a weld in said notch connecting saidprojecting portion to the adjoining end wall of the barrel and enclosingsaid projection, said member being provided with a transverse openingcommunicating with the outer end of said tubular neck, and the sidesofsaid member be ing provided with projections.

ROBERT B. HUTCHISON.

